Bitcoin’s $77,000 Stalemate: Navigating the Powell Finale and the Fed’s Final Frontier
The eyes of the financial world are locked on Washington D.C. today, April 29, 2026, as Bitcoin (BTC) hovers stubbornly around the $77,400 mark. This isnt just another routine interest rate decision; this marks the final Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting for Chairman Jerome Powell. As the architect of the “higher-for-longer” regime that defined the mid-2020s, Powells exit has introduced a rare brand of “lame-duck volatility” to the crypto markets. Investors are caught in a tug-of-war: while the Fed is widely expected to hold rates steady, the true anxiety lies in whether Powell will use his final podium appearance to double down on a hawkish legacy or open the door for his successor to initiate a liquidity “Great Easing.” The market data reflects this tension with surgical precision. Despite the high price point, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have recorded their second consecutive day of outflows, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. This “de-risking” suggests that institutional “whales” are taking profits and moving to the sidelines until the post-Powell direction of the U.S. dollar is clear. Psychological ceiling Analysts are closely watching the $75,000 support level; a hawkish parting shot from Powell could send the asset tumbling back toward the $70,000 range, while a